Could a single highly elliptic orbit be used to redirect to another planet?
I'm modeling this on the Voyager 2 flight path. I want to have this flight at this particular time, and not wait for a more advantageous launch window.
Based on this orbital configuration (1st image below) the day a spacecraft leaves Earth, could a spacecraft slingshot around Jupiter, enter a single highly elliptical orbit around Saturn, then fire its engines near periapsis to redirect it to Uranus?
Since it took Voyager 2 four years to reach Saturn, the next image shows what theskylive.com indicates the position position Saturn would be when the craft reaches Saturn. I assume a craft could not simply slingshot by Saturn (like Voyager 2 did) and head to Uranus based on the positions of the planets. In my story the craft needs to flyby Saturn on the way to Uranus.
I don't need a detailed answer, just a yes or no, and minor details (if any) would help.
This post was sourced from https://worldbuilding.stackexchange.com/q/150566. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
0 comment threads